2 Chronicles 7

1 When Solomon [the king of Israel, successor of David] had finished [to end, complete] praying [to intercede, communicate with God], fire [burning, flame] came down [to go down, descend] from heaven [the sky, the abode of God] and consumed [to eat, devour] the burnt offering [a sacrifice, an act of worship] and the sacrifices [gifts to God, acts of devotion], and the glory [great honor, splendor] of the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] filled [to make full, complete] the temple [the house, the dwelling place of God]. word study 2 The priests [spiritual leaders, ministers of God] were unable to enter [approach, come near] the house [temple, dwelling place] of the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord God], because [for the reason that] the glory [splendor, majesty] of the LORD [God’s presence, divine nature] had filled [completed, made full] it [the temple, God’s house]. word study 3 When all [every single one] the Israelites [descendants of Jacob] saw the fire [divine presence] coming down [descending from heaven] and the glory [majestic splendor, radiant presence] of the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] above [upon, over] the temple [the house of God, sacred dwelling place], they bowed down [prostrated themselves, worshiped] on the pavement [stone floor, holy ground] with their faces [countenances, entire beings] to the ground [earth, dust], and they worshiped [paid homage, gave reverence] and gave thanks [praised, offered gratitude] to the LORD: “For He is good [kind, benevolent, full of lovingkindness]; His loving devotion [faithful love, steadfast mercy] endures [remains, persists] forever [for all eternity, perpetually].” word study 4 Then the king [royal ruler, monarch] and all [every single one, the entire nation] the people [a nation, community, or gathering] offered [presented, gave] sacrifices [offerings, gifts to God] before [in the presence of, facing] the LORD [Yehovah, the Almighty God]. word study 5 And King [royal ruler, monarch] Solomon [peaceable one] offered [presented, sacrificed] a sacrifice [offering to God, atonement] of [twenty-two thousand, a large multitude] 22,000 oxen [cattle, domesticated animals] and 120,000 [a hundred and twenty thousand, a vast number] sheep [flock, gentle creatures]. So the king [monarch, leader] and all [every, the entire] the people [nation, community] dedicated [set apart, consecrated] the house [dwelling place, temple] of God [Elohim, the supreme Creator]. word study 6 The priests [ministers of God, spiritual leaders] stood at their posts [positions of responsibility, stations], as did the Levites [descendants of Levi, assistants to the priests] with the musical instruments [articles of music, utensils of praise] of the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God], which King David [the youngest son of Jesse, a king of Israel] had made [created, fashioned] for giving thanks [to express gratitude, to praise] to the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] and with which David [the king, the psalmist] had offered praise [worship, adoration], saying, “For His loving devotion [kindness, mercy] endures forever [always, throughout eternity].” Across from the Levites [facing them, before them], the priests [the spiritual leaders] sounded trumpets [blew horns, made a loud noise], and all [every, the whole] the Israelites [the descendants of Jacob, God’s chosen people] were standing [upright, in reverence]. word study 7 Then Solomon [the king of Israel, successor of David] consecrated [set apart as holy, dedicated] the middle [central part, midst] of the courtyard [open area, court] in front of [before, in the presence of] the house [temple, dwelling place] of the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord God], and there [in that place, at that time] he offered [presented, sacrificed] the burnt offerings [holocausts, complete sacrifices] and the fat [richest part, choicest portion] of the peace offerings [sacrifices of thanksgiving, fellowship offerings], since [because, for] the bronze [copper, metallic] altar [place of sacrifice, table of offering] he had made [constructed, built] could not [was not able, lacked capacity] contain [hold, sustain] all these [many, numerous] offerings [sacrifices, gifts]. word study 8 So at that time [in that era, during that occasion] Solomon [the king of Israel, a wise ruler] and all Israel [the entire nation, every tribe] with him—a very great [exceedingly large, numerous] assembly [gathering, congregation] of people from Lebo-hamath [the entrance of Hamath, a city in Syria] to the Brook [river, stream] of Egypt—kept the feast [celebrated, observed a festival] for seven days. word study 9 On the eighth day they held a [sacred] solemn assembly [a gathering for worship], for the dedication [consecration, initiation] of the altar [a place of sacrifice, where offerings are made to God] had lasted [continued, endured] seven days, and the feast [a festival, a celebration] seven days more [in addition, afterwards]. word study 10 On the twenty-third day of the seventh month, Solomon sent the people away to their homes [tents], joyful [glad, merry] and glad [full of joy, rejoicing] of heart for the good things [goodness, welfare] that the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] had done for David [the youngest son of Jesse, a king of Israel], for Solomon [a king of Israel and successor of David], and for His people [nation, descendants] Israel [the symbolic name of Jacob, referring to his descendants]. word study 11 When Solomon [the king of Israel] had finished [completed, brought to an end] the house [temple, dwelling place] of the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] and the royal [king’s] palace, successfully [prosperously, with great success] carrying out [accomplishing, doing] all that was in his heart [mind, will, and intellect] to do [make, create] for the house [temple] of the LORD and for his own [personal] palace [house, dwelling place], word study 12 the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] appeared to him [Solomon, the king of Judah] at night [a period of darkness, adversity, or hardship] and said to him: “I have heard [listened to, given attention to] your prayer [supplication, request to God] and have chosen [selected, set apart] this place [location, dwelling] for Myself as a house [dwelling, temple] of sacrifice [offering, atonement]. word study 13 If I [restrain, shut up] close the sky [heaven, the visible universe] so there is no [lack of] rain [water from the heavens], or if I command [give orders] the locust [a type of destructive insect] to devour [eat, consume] the land [the earth, a country], or if I send [dispatch, release] a plague [pestilence, a disease] among My people [My nation, those who belong to Me], word study 14 and if My people [belonging to Me] who are called by My name humble themselves [be lowly, submissive] and pray [seek My face, intercede] and seek My face [presence, approval] and turn from their wicked [evil, sinful] ways, then I will hear from heaven [the spiritual realm, My throne], forgive their sin [guilt, rebellion], and heal their land [nation, territory]. word study 15 Now [at this time, from this moment on] My eyes [the source of My awareness] will be open [to see and perceive, to engrave on My heart] and My ears [the ability to hear and listen] attentive [careful, paying close attention] to the prayers [requests, supplications] offered [made, uttered] in this place [this location, this sacred space]. word study 16 For I have now [at this time, in this moment] chosen [selected, set apart] and consecrated [made holy, sanctified] this temple [house, dwelling place] so that My Name [My identity, character] may be there [in that place, forever present] forever [always, eternally]. My eyes [My attention, gaze] and My heart [My feelings] will be there [in that place, perpetually] for all time [perpetually, throughout all days]. word study 17 And as for you [the king, the leader], if you walk [live, conduct yourself] before Me [in My presence, face to face] as your father David [the ancestor, the model of faith] walked, doing [obeying, fulfilling] all I have commanded [ordered, instructed] you, and if you keep [obey, observe] My statutes [decrees, laws] and ordinances [judgments, regulations], word study 18 then I will establish [make strong, confirm] your royal [kingly, sovereign] throne [seat of power, authority], as I covenanted [made an agreement, promised] with your father [ancestor, forefather] David [the youngest son of Jesse, a king of Israel] when I said [promised, declared], ‘You will never [not ever, at no time] fail to have a man [a ruler, a leader] to rule [govern, lead] over Israel [the symbolic name of Jacob, his descendants].’ word study 19 But if you turn away [reject, abandon] and forsake [loosen, relinquish] the statutes [ordinances, divine laws] and commandments [laws, guidelines] I have set [given, established] before you, and if you go off [walk away, depart] to serve [worship, obey] and worship [bow down, pay homage to] other gods [foreign deities, idols], word study 20 then I will uproot [pluck up by the roots] Israel from the soil [land, earth] I have given [bestowed, entrusted] them, and I will banish [cast out, expel] from My presence [face, sight] this temple [house, dwelling place] I have sanctified [consecrated, set apart] for My Name [identity, reputation]. I will make it an object of scorn [ridicule, mockery] and ridicule [taunt, derision] among all [every, the whole of] the peoples [nations, Gentiles]. word study 21 And when this temple [this house, the place of worship] has become a heap of rubble [a mass of broken walls, completely destroyed], all who pass by it [every one that passeth by, everyone who sees it] will be appalled [astonished, overcome with wonder] and say, ‘Why has the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] done such a thing [thus, in this way] to this land [the earth, the country] and to this temple [this house, the dwelling place]?’ word study 22 And others will answer, ‘Because they have forsaken [abandoned, turned away from] the LORD [Yehovah, the God of covenant], the God [Elohim, the supreme deity] of their fathers [ancestors, forefathers], who brought them out of the land [territory, region] of Egypt [a country in northeastern Africa], and have embraced [laid hold on, clung to] other gods [foreign deities, idols], worshiping [bowing down to, serving] and serving [working for, obeying] them—because of this, He has brought all [every, the whole] this disaster [evil, calamity] upon them.’” word study